Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-05-11
LIFE IN KEY WEST.
The Peculiar State OF Society Existing
Among Its Mixed Population.

When it Is found, the boarders would
| consider a New York boarding-house,
derided as it so often is, palace in ac-
commodation for eating and sleeping
compared to one in Key West. The
streets are wide and dusty, for there
are no sprinklers. In fact, water is
such luxury in the dry season that it
\ cannot be wasted in sprinkling the
streets. 1t is rain water caught in cis-
terms when the heavens furnish sup
ply, and is often carried from place to
place in pals supported by yoke from
the shoulders. An attempt was one
time made to drive an artesian well,
but the water when reached was so
brackish that it could only be used for
the extinguishing of fires. The dust
flies continually. The roadway is
hard, being the solid coral rock itself.
There is no surface soil. What passes
for soil Is nothing more than this rock
ground up. 1t is nice thing to have
blown over black clothing, and still a
nicer thing to get out of the cloth after
ward. The population consists mainly
Of Cubans, Conchs and negroes. The
Conchs are in reality natives of the
Bahama Islands, but everybody in Key
West calls them by that name. The
Cubans dislike the Conchs and the
Conchs detest the Cubans, while both
together hate the negroes. y happy
state of society may therefore be imag-
ined. They are as distinct as can be,
but their localities are known as Conch-
town, Niggertown and Cuban village.
Each has its distinct amuSements, oc-
cupations and turmoil. The few
Americans seem to be always planning
how best to get away from the Island.
Cigar-making is the principal employ
ment of the Cubans, and there is plenty
of work for them, as Key West con-
tains 125 cigar factories. 1t is said on
good authority that 100000 cigars
are SHIPPED away from the island every
year.
The Cuban is not very strong look
ing. His sports are gambling and
rooster-fghting. The women are fairly
good looking, giving to wearing high
heels, lace shawlS and face powder.
Both men and women smoke and chat
ter like magpies. They stand around
in crowds and make noise more like a
lot of geese than human beings. Their
food is principally oil, pork, bananas
and coffee. Their coffee is good, but
so strong that it will stain the cup from
which it is drunk. When in restau-
rant the Cubans appear to talk all at
once, each trying, as it were to drown
tke others voice, and gesticulating as
If about to strike each other ON the
face. The odor of the Cuban restaur-
ant is generally too strong for the Oh
factory nerves of one brought up in
New York. The Conchs are the fisher
men of the Island and the gatherers of
sponges. They are a large, rough class
of men, and apparently very ignorant.
One marked feature is their accent,
which is considered characteristic of the
L0fdoner-tiIe dropping ofthc aspiratcs
where needed and using it exclusively
where not wanted. They u-e their fists
when fighting, while the Cubans are
too ready with the revolver or stiletto.
The negroes are employed in Key West,
as elsewhere, in menial labor, Together
these three races form very mixed and
far from harmonious society, one that
is not likely to be met with anywhere
in the United States.